HOANG VIET GIANG HUONG PHY501S|1 FEBRUARY 2022

Report:

Determining Refractive Index experimentally

Aim
To determine the refractive index of a given plastic block via two methods:
(i) Via measuring the angle of incidence and angle of refraction when light ray meets the boundary of the plastic block and
relate them through the Snell’s Law equation
n1 sinθ1 = n2 sinθ2 (Tsokos, 2014)
Where n1 is the refractive index of the first medium
n2 is the refractive index of the second medium
θ1 is the angle of incidence
θ2 is the angle of refraction
(i) Via finding the critical angle experimentally and calculate refractive index through the simplified Snell’s Law equation:
1
n1 = sin𝜃
𝑖𝑐

Data presentation
Qualitative data
When light is shone through the curved surface of the plastic block, it does not bend and continues to travel in a straight line to the straight
side of the block. At the straight boundary between the plastic block and air, the light is refracted and the direction of the light beam changes
when it emerges. As the plastic block is rotated and the angle of incidence increase, the angle of refraction also increases accordingly. At a
specific angle, which is the critical angle, the refracted light cannot be seen at all, as the light ray is reflected back to the plane of incidence.

Figure 1. A diagram of result collected: angles of incidence and corresponding angles of refraction through the plastic block, with the
critical angle marked.

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HOANG VIET GIANG HUONG PHY501S|1 FEBRUARY 2022

Figure 2. A photo of the set up Figure 3. A photo of when total internal reflection happens

Quantitative data
Incident angle θi/o (± 1.0o) Refracted angle θr/o (± 1.0o)
10 16
15 22
20 37
25 49
30 58
40 72
42 90
Table 1. Raw data of incident angle and corresponding refracted angle when light is shone through the plastic block

Data processing
sinθi Uncertainty of sinθi sinθr Uncertainty of sinθr
0.17 0.018 0.28 0.017
0.26 0.017 0.38 0.016
0.34 0.016 0.60 0.014
0.42 0.016 0.76 0.012
0.50 0.015 0.85 0.009
0.64 0.013 0.95 0.006
0.67 0.013 1.00 0.000
Table 2. Processed data
Calculations
1. Calculate sine of angle of incidence/refraction:
Example calculation for θi = 10o: sin 𝜃𝑖 = sin 10𝑜 = 0.17 (2𝑠. 𝑓. )
2. Calculate the uncertainty of sine of angles
Example calculation for θi = 10o:
We have: sin 9𝑜 = 0.156 ; sin 10𝑜 = 0.174 ; sin 11𝑜 = 0.191
Larger absolute uncertainty = 0.174 – 0.156 = 0.018 (2s.f.)
(since 0.191- 0.174 = 0.017 is smaller than 0.018)
Therefore, sin 10𝑜 = 0.17 ± 0.018
Graphs
1. By Snell’s Law,:
n1 sinθ1 = n2 sinθ2
Since n2 = 1.0 (as the second medium is air):
n1 sinθ1 = sinθ2
sin θ2 sin θ𝑟
n1 = =
sin θ1 sin θ𝑖
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HOANG VIET GIANG HUONG PHY501S|1 FEBRUARY 2022
Therefore, when plotting sin θ𝑟 on y-axis against sin θ𝑖 on x-axis, the slope obtained is the value of n1

Figure 3. Graph of 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃𝑟 against 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃𝑖

The equation of the best-fit straight line is 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃𝑟 = 1.585 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃𝑖
The gradient of the best-fit straight line is 1.585 ± 0.05282
The equation of the maximum line of best-fit between the minimum uncertainty of
the first point and the maximum uncertainty of the last point is 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃𝑟 = 1.542 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃𝑖 − 0.01146
The equation of the minimum line of best-fit between the maximum uncertainty of the first point and the minimum uncertainty of the last
point is 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃𝑟 = 1.354 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃𝑖 + 0.07504
1.585−1.354
The uncertainty of the gradient of the graph = = 0.1155 (4𝑠. 𝑓. )
2

Discussion
Determination of refractive index of plastic block
1. The graph suggests a positive, proportional relationship between the sine values of angles of refraction and the sine values of
angles of incidence; thus a gradient with constant value.
2. From the graph:
n1 = gradient of the graph = 1.585 ± 0.1155
Therefore, the refractive index of the plastic block is determined to be 1.585 ± 0.1155
3. Notice that the angle of incidence, for which the angle of refraction is 90o, is 42o. Substitute n2 = 1.0 and 𝜃𝑟 =90o into Snell’s Law
equation:
n1 sinθ1 = n2 sinθ2
n1 sinθ1 = 1.0 sin90o
n1 sinθ1 = 1
1 1
n1 = sin𝜃 = sin𝜃 ; where 𝜃𝑖𝑐 is the critical angle of incidence
𝑖𝑐 𝑖𝑐

Therefore, the refractive index of the plastic block is:

1
n1 = = 1.494 (4𝑠. 𝑓. )
sin42𝑜
4. The percentage difference between the two values of refractive index obtained is:
1.585 − 1.494
× 100% = 6.09% (3𝑠. 𝑓. )
1.494
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HOANG VIET GIANG HUONG PHY501S|1 FEBRUARY 2022
As observed, the values of refractive index obtained via two methods are approximately similar, with only about
6.09% difference, justifying the reliability of this experiment in finding the refractive index of a given materials. Yet there are
possible sources of errors that cause the uncertainty and error between the two values, which will be discussed below.

Evaluation
Strength
Feature of experiment How it betters the methodology used
All the apparatus used in the experiment are available in This allows easy repetition of the experiment by students, including doing the
a standard IB Physics Laboratory set-up and obtaining data
The experiment involves 6 different values of angles of This increases the number of points of data on the graph, allowing the best-fit
incidence of the light beam to the plastic block for which straight line to be more accurately drawn, and the value of gradient of the best-
their corresponding angles of refraction are obtained fit straight line and the calculated refractive index of the plastic block is closer
to its actual value.
Weakness - Improvements
Type of Description Effect on results Improvement
error

Systematic The size of the light This allows for many possible lines to Use a cardboard with a smaller slit to block the light
beam is larger than size be drawn to represent the light beam, ray box to reduce the size of the light beam, thus
of the line drawn by causing high uncertainty as among reducing the number of possible lines. Otherwise, stick
pencil to represent it those possible lines, only one is the to a convention of drawing the line, such as always
most accurate representation of the drawing it along the left edge of the light beam.
light beam.
Random Human error along the This causes inconsistency in the Take a photo of the real set up for each angle, and use
procedures in sketching thickness and thus accuracy of the computer software to sketch the line representing the
the outline of the plastic line, as well as inconsistency in angle path of the light beam for better accuracy. Repeat the
block by hand and readings as the angle of observation angle reading for three times and take the average
reading the cannot be exactly the same each time. value to reduce the effect of random error on
measurement of the Thus, it allows room for more uncertainty. Stick to the eye level that is perpendicular
angles with eyes. uncertainty due to random errors. to the surface to take the reading every time.
Random Possible impurities in Since refractive index of the material Check the block and clean it thoroughly to minimize
the plastic block or depends on the speed of light when the chance of impurities. Repeat the angle reading for
stains on its surface travelling through the material, three times and take the average value to reduce the
impurities may disrupt the path of effect of random error caused by impurities on
light and thus the speed of light. uncertainty.
Therefore, the angle of refraction may
be distorted compared to the actual
one in pure plastic block.

Extension
As discussed, the methodology in this experiment is relatively reliable in determining the refractive indices of materials. Therefore, the
plastic block could be replaced with those made from other materials like glass, mica, or ice, or even with liquid medium like water, salt
solution,… to determine the refractive index of light through those materials.
Another possible investigation is on the effect of different factors on the refractive indices of the material. This is based on the understanding
that refractive index of a material depends on the speed of light within it, thus changing factors like pressure, temperature of particle
concentration of the media would affect the vibrations of wave particles, speed of light and thus refractive index of the material. Therefore,
by keeping other factors constant and varying one factor as the independent variable, refractive index can be determined accordingly, and
a graph of refractive index of the material agaisnt different values of independent variable can be plotted to deduce the relationship. For
this experiment, it is better to use liquid medium, so that it is easier to vary its temperature (via heating on a heat plate), or concentration
(via dilution).

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HOANG VIET GIANG HUONG PHY501S|1 FEBRUARY 2022
Conclusion
From the graph (Figure 3), it can be concluded that there is a positive, proportional relationship between the sine values of angles of
refraction and the sine values of angles of incidence. From the gradient of the graph, the refractive index of the plastic block is estimated
to be 1.585, with a percentage difference of 6.09% compared to the value obtained via calculations using the critical angle. This discrepancy
can be explained via several sources of error, yet it does not denies the reliability of the methodology used in this experiment. Further
investigations can be made using the same procedures to determine the refractive indices of various other materials, or investigate the effect
of changing concentration or temperature on the refractive indices of liquid media.

Bibliography
Physics for the IB Diploma Coursebook by Tsokos, K. A. (2014) Paperback. (2021). Cambridge University Press.